Needless to say, it’s an undertaking you’ll need to be prepared for ahead of time.

Which is why, in many cases, it’s already too late. When hiring becomes a definitive need instead of a would-be-nice or even a slightly more urgent must-do-soon, your chances of a successful hire with longevity become far more narrow. Not only that, you’re now in a potentially tight spot with critical business outcomes on the line – all of which could have been avoided.

At this point, it’s too late to start recruiting. Of course, that’s exactly what you still need to do – but it won’t be easy. Here’s why it’s already too late to start recruiting.

You’re feeling the effects of this individual’s absence

While we as business leaders can’t see every upcoming hurdle and plan for every eventuality, what we do need to be is cognizant. Cognizant of the workforce we have, the gaps we see, and the potential challenges posed should someone in a specific role or responsibility leave. If you’ve been unable to get down to doing some solid succession planning and a crucial member of the team ups and leaves unexpectedly, it can be tough to manage. Things only get worse as, while you’re busy scrambling to fill the space left and ensure that productivity doesn’t decrease in their absence, hiring either doesn’t get the focus it needs to find the right person, else it takes a backseat altogether. If you’re already feeling the effects of there being no person able to fulfil, if even for the meantime, the duties of the job you’re trying to replace, this recruitment campaign could prove to be a tricky one.

You misjudged the talentscape and your person isn’t available

You know how we’re always preaching about how candidates need to do their research ahead of an interview? You, the employer, also have a responsibility to know what you’re coming into. The talent marketplace is an ever-evolving, fast-moving place. Skills shortages happen unannounced. The keys that keep you competitive come and go in popularity, requiring constant adaptation. Whatever the reason, the fact of the matter is, you’ve begun a recruitment campaign and swiftly found that the person or people your business needs simply aren’t available. Whether they’re not looking, non-existent, or simply not interested in your offering, this slip in judgement means that you’re already late in the game.

You find yourself ready to recruit, but you’re not sure who for

At this point, it may be that you’ve survived without backfilling a role for a while but know you need something different altogether. It could be that you simply find yourself in a position financially to add talent to the team, but are unsure of what will take things to the next level. The fact is, if you don’t know who you need to hire, your campaign will simply be more ineffective.

With efficiency in mind – both in terms of time and costs – coming into a hiring campaign with moving goalposts just isn’t going to perform.

And that’s really part of the beauty of partnering with an agency like ours. With recruitment being what we do year-round, through changing seasons, shifting talent pools and ever-evolving markets, you could say we’re always ready. We’re never too late to the game – we’re always in it.

Get in touch to talk recruitment solutions by NLG today.

#1: Keep the application process simple

The idea here is to encourage talent at all levels to apply for a job – not to put them off with a less than enthralling process! So, take stock of your application process and simplify it however you’re able to. Streamline the number of hoops jobseekers have to jump through and minimize them as best you can; if it’s something you can find out later during the first stage interview, leave it out.

Give them a reason to apply, not a reason not to. A convoluted, confusing or just unnecessarily lengthy application process can put off so many talented individuals, particularly if there’s any repetition (think about those dreaded systems which request a resume upload, followed by manually filling in all of the career information imminently afterwards – not ideal!)

Simplicity is the key – so make it a standard across the manufacturing jobs you hire for.

#2: Think about your flexible working opportunities

While much of the world adopts a more remote-friendly approach, for many manufacturing jobs this just isn’t an option (at least, not in a physical sense). But that’s not to say that flexibility shouldn’t be being embraced in a way which works.

The traditional nine-to-five is a thing of the past and, added to the fact that work-life balance has become even more important since the pandemic began, flexibility is key. Best practices for manufacturing hires means adjusting your schedules, adding more shifts, changing up rotas, or otherwise essentially ensuring that every employee has a way of working which suits them; which fits around their life rather than vice versa. Do so within reason to keep your operations at their optimum, but always keep your people at the forefront.

#3: Be digital savvy and tech-forward

That goes for throughout the hiring process, and beyond.

Use technology to connect with jobseekers in the way which works with them, whether it’s via text message, email, or a good old-fashioned phone call. Give your applicants the opportunity to present themselves in the way they feel does them justice, using technology to enable the process.

Once you’ve made your manufacturing hire, it’s about implementing technology to enhance their time working within your business. Think about how you pay them perhaps, and how convenient it is for staff; think about the benefits you offer, and accessibility. And finally, of course, think about how technology is going to make them more efficient and effective in their jobs – there’s a nod to that all-important employee experience again.

Best practices for manufacturing hires

We’re proudly changing the game – no, upping the game – here in North America when it comes to the work we do with clients. Partnering with Next Level Group doesn’t just mean you let us know what you need and we find them (although it’s something we’re adept at doing): we call ourselves consultants for a reason.

That might look like us helping you understand which personnel are going to solve your current challenge. It might mean having us consult on who or what may solve the future challenges. Consulting with us could even be setting a long-term hiring strategy, or helping build out your succession plan.

The only thing that’s for certain is that we’ll do all of the above, with best practices for manufacturing hires in place, always.